My 02 didn't come with a spare tire or any tools including a jack when I bought it last year. Fortunately the jack rod was still under the hood. Due to a death in the family I need to make a road trip and didn't feel comfortable not having a spare so I went to a junk yard and got one. Then I find out I don't have the tool needed to lower the winch cable. I found a you-tube video that showed how to get the lock off the winch so I gave it a try. First thing was to remove the plastic rod guide. Get under truck and twist guide hard one way and then hard the other. This will loosen it up and I pulled it straight off. Took 30 seconds. Once it was off I took channel locks and twisted the lock side to side enough to get a screwdriver behind the lip on the back side against the winch. A few hits to each side with a hammer and the lock popped right out. Now you can put the plastic rod guide back on. Slide the rod into the winch and turn away. Lowered the cable , raised the tire in place and was good to go in 10 minutes. There was no need to take the winch off or buy special sockets. Hope it helps someone else.

Gery

 

try all that with the spare tire in place.
You're luck your wasn't there. Aint Youtube grand place to go find out about all this aggravating stuff.

 

You got a point there! Maybe my post will get others to check theirs before they get in an emergency situation. I've read that some have to cut the cable to drop the tire. I'm glad I have mine fixed now rather than find all this out on the side of the road.

Gery

 

I slimed my cable up real good with grease. Need to remember to take it down clean it and grease it up again this year

 

Spare lock or not, all you have to do is give a big yank on the plastic pipe. Comes right off, lock and all.